More than a Warm Foxhole
by ChastityHope13
Summary: Babe and Roe have an undeniable bond and they help each other through Bastogne, but both of them feel something stronger that begins to take a toll on there emotions.
1. Band Of Brothers

More than a Warm Foxhole…

Doc Roe/Babe Heffron

Romance/angst/comfort/hurt

Rating: T

Summary: Babe and Roe have an undeniable bond and they help each other through Bastogne, but both of them feel something stronger that begins to take a toll on there emotions.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything.

"Hey doc why don't ya hang back, relax, it's only a patrol" Johnny warmly spoke to our company medic Gene Roe. Gene nodded his head a little hesitantly then knelt down by a large spruce tree covered in the morning snowfall.

"Come on boys, head out" martin yelled

I looked back at the medics stone eyes staring into the snowy distance ahead, I wondered if he was well lately, he seemed so distant and far away from the group, come to think of it, doc was always that way, sitting by himself, puffing his emotions away on a cigarette. I wished he would join in, when he spoke his thick Cajun accent was so smooth, calming. What was I thinking? Why am I thinking these thoughts? Ughhh. I trudged on, rifle swung across my chest, ready for any attack, I looked to my left at the new replacement Julian. He was so damn young, just a virgin I swear, a virgin, not more than 18, he held his rifle stiff in his hands, shaking ever so noticeably. His dark hair sparkling in the morning dabbles of sun. he adjusted his helmet, which was way to big for his little head. I shifted my attention to the front of the line as we came to a clearing, logs had been moved and a road had been evidently formed by tanks and jeeps moving between battalions. Julian was ahead of me. "Hey luz ca – "I started but was interrupted by a clear shot that rang in the air. Before I knew we where even being shot at, I was pulled behind the logs as fire from the north rained on us. I searched for Julian. I had to keep him safe, we had shared foxholes, he was like a little brother to me. I found him. Lying in the road, blood pouring slowly from his neck, I never even heard him scream! But there he was, he was reaching helplessly in my direction. "Julian, Julian stay still, there gonna keep shootin! Stay still" I shouted. I tried to reach for him, slowly moving my body forward onto the road.

"Get back Heffron!" Johnny yelled gripping my jacket and pulling.

"SUPRESSING FIRE, SUPRESSING FIRE!" Johnny yelled at the men.

I got up on my knees behind the safety of the logs and fired a few rounds in the general direction. "JULIAN STAY THERE, IM COMING FOR YOU DON'T MOVE" I kept yelling, there was so much gunfire. Julian kept holding to life, he kept reaching for me, my heart ached, I was on the verge of running out to him, I kept trying, and the gunfire kept coming

"KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME JULIAN, LOOK HERE, YOUR GOING TO BE FINE JULIAN"

I began to feel hopeless, I knew the next words to be spoken from johnnies lips, I couldn't do it, I couldn't leave Julian, I promised him I wouldn't, he was so scared.

"Fall back Easy, Fall back"

The men began to retreat, Julian's lips tried to breathe out words, his eyes filled with fear and defeat,

"Come on Heffron lets go" Guarnere pulled on my jacket as I struggled on the ground.

"Julian im coming back, im coming back!" I screamed. My final effort before Guarnere became too much and I began to retreat. Tears filled my eyes as I darted through the white trees. SHIT, I broke my fucking promise! When I got back to the platoon I didn't bother searching for my foxhole, it would be half empty anyways, I sat down in the snow, defeated, all the men where silent and out of breathe. I put my hands to my face and cried silently. I felt a pair of strong hands grab my shoulders tightly but with comfort and sweetness. I knew who they belonged to, at the moment I resented them. Gene didn't say much but when he did, it was exactly right, he didn't say anything now as I continued to cry, he just rubbed my back gently, his forehead came to rest on the back of my neck. I Stopped crying and my sobs where reduced to a low murmur. I became angry, why had Gene not ran back to Julian? Surely he heard what happened; he was waiting for our return by that tree. Maybe I was wrong, there was nothing he could have done, Julian was gone from the moment he was hit, im just denying it. I was still angry, I stood up quickly and pulled my rifle over my shoulder, I didn't look back at Gene but I knew he was probably hurt by my brashness. I trudged aimlessly through the woods searching for my foxhole, I finally gave up after around 10 minutes of looking stupid and jumped in a hole with Spina. He didn't protest but wrapped his arm around me as I shivered from the cold. I don't know why, but I couldn't shake gene from my mind, that damn doctor! Why does he do this to me? I wanted him to come to me again, and sit with me in silence like he usually would do. I probably scared the poor guy, he was so gentle and harmless, and he didn't deserve my anger. I cried again, this time only silent tears which froze to my cold cheeks. In the distance guns where crying, soldiers where laughing, joking, amidst all this terror, I couldn't join them, not tonight, my heart was torn from loss and love and something else I felt for a certain medic, I couldn't explain it just yet.

**That's it for now; it's just a silly little thing I decided to write on a Sunday night, reviews are SUPER APPRECIATED. I was flailing and acting rather ridiculous while writing this, I love band of brothers so much and obviously I ship babe and roe…. Who wouldn't? Its great fun! **


	2. Genes healing hands

Chapter 2.

**A/N – Hello all, this is my new chapter, I feel like being really on time with my writing, so here it is! Hope you enjoy.**

The Day of Julian's death – Night – Bastogne.

My eyes where closed, I was completely awake but was hoping by having my eyes closed I could shut out some of the terrors of the day, maybe I would find a better place than this, perhaps heaven, or in Eugene's arms. Sleep was not a possibility tonight. Spina still had his arm wrapped around me, I could tell he wanted to sleep but he stayed awake. I had stopped my crying long ago, I just stared ahead at the crusty mud walls of our foxhole, my emotions where as frozen as my ears. The forest had been silent for a while now, I assumed the men had decided to try sleep as well, I hoped they had better luck than I did. I heard boots slowly approaching our foxhole; the tarp lifted up and Gene dropped in, my heart lifted a little,

"Gotcha" Gene joked quietly.

My emotions stayed still, I could feel his gaze fixed on me, searching for some kind of response or acknowledgement; I didn't even look at him, though I wanted to. Gene fiddled around with something in his hands for a moment before waving a dark something in front of my face.

"Heffron… Edward".

I looked at what he had in his hand, it was a piece of chocolate, and he pushed it into my hand insistently,

"Eat it" he said.

I didn't want to, but I had been so cold with gene lately I decided to do it for him, I raised the dark candy to my mouth and took a slow bite. Instantly the taste brought overwhelming memories of home and better days, it was bitter and sweet; I wondered where Gene had gotten this? I could see him nodding in approval, I felt him move a bit closer, and he pushed his body against mine for warmth. I didn't mind this, but all too quickly my emotions flooded back in a wave of pain. "I promised him if he got hit, id get his stuff and bring it to his mom, ya know?" my voice was shaky. "Now the fucking krauts will strip him!" I shouted.

"It's ok" Gene soothed.

"Its not, its not ok "I whimpered. " I should have got to him". Spina sat there quietly, not willing to interject in our dispute. The foxhole fell silent for a few moments; I watched the slow rise and fall of Eugene's chest, the puffs of air forming around me, I wished I could lay my head on his chest, hear his heartbeat, I couldn't ignore these thoughts anymore, they had plagued my mind ever since the battle at Market Garden. I was a new replacement and Gene was there from the start, not just to make sure you where physically alright, but he was really there with you, in your spirit and soul, he offered something more than just fixing. Maybe something more than friendship as well. These thoughts where interrupted when Gene reached under my green army blanket and grabbed for my hand, he tried to do it quietly as not to wake the now sleeping Spina. My right hand had been resting on my abdomen, fingers curled and shaky from fear and cold, they where now entwined with Eugene's and he was stroking the top of my hand lightly. I gulped, my shaking ceased the moment our hands had touched, though my heart was now racing strongly, my feelings where on the edge now, my stomach tied in knots.

"Edward "Gene spoke quietly and calmly.

"What Gene?" I breathed. Gene was silent for a moment; I wondered if he had lost his thought, I was eager to know what it was. His breathe became staggered.

"Gene?" I turned my face towards him; he looked up at my eyes, searching again, for what? It was killing me inside. After another moment Gene finally spoke.

"Just be careful Heffron, alright?" He searched my eyes again, a moment rested between us. Gene pursed his lips together and squeezed my hand one last time before removing his from mine and crawling outside of the foxhole.

"I Have to find Toye" I heard him mumble to himself before moving off into the woods. I pressed the hand Gene had been holding to my cheeks, it was still warm, shrinking back down in my foxhole I wished Gene had stayed the night with me…

**A/N - hope you enjoyed this one! updates hopefully soon...**


	3. Busy times and a hurting healer

**Hello! Im back…sorry the update has come so late (that rhymed tehhe) I hope you'll understand…..this chapter may not be the most exciting but absolutely essential! Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

After that night in the foxhole, when Gene had so affectionately taken my hand, my senses about "us" where heightened. Whenever the men would stand around, waiting for a patrol or another German artillery barrage or even during mealtime, I would find myself searching for Gene, I never saw him at mealtimes though, come to think of it, I don't think iv ever seen him eat. I would try to make my searching as inconspicuous as possible; sometimes Guarnere would catch me staring off into the white forest and yell at me.

"Babe! What the hell are you lookin at? You know you're starting to remind me of that crazy Joe McCloskey, lookin all disoriented, peerin around corners and creepin about. What the hell are ya doin?"

"Shut the fuck up Guarnere!" I would snap back. I am not crazy Joe McCloskey! If anything Buck is crazy Joe! The poor guy is going mental out here. Shit, I don't blame him, if anything would make a man crazy it would be this place. The past few days have been really busy, Iv barely slept; yesterday the Germans sent us an early Christmas gift called heavy artillery. Smokey got hit pretty badly. Whenever I could catch a moment I would look back to see doc working quickly over some mans body as they scream, wreathing in pain. Just the day before that, we had a long over due drop of K-rations, which was followed by c-47s firing relentlessly at our post. Endless patrols and artillery rounds through the night. I wondered how I wasn't dead yet. Fuck, maybe being dead would be kinda nice; I mean at least its warm in hell. But then, I remember, I wouldn't get to see Gene. He wouldn't be there. It was one of those moments when you realize you are right where your suppose to be. Even if it involves being cold and hungry. A rare moment. So here I am, still freezing, but content that this is where im meant to be for now. With Gene. Thinking of which, where is Gene? I hadn't seen him for a few days now, it's almost mealtime again, another round of Joe Dominguez's ransid beans. What does it matter anymore? Here comes Spina, I bet he knows where doc has been running off to lately. "Hey Spina, you know where Gene is?" I asked as he came towards the log I had been resting on.

" yeah I think he's at the field hospital in Bastogne, goes there to get supplies and help out, so many casualties, they set up in an empty church or something, not too many men make it out of there though"

"Oh" was all I could think to say. Spina began to walk past me, "Spina, when do you think he's comin back?" I inquired. Spina turned around and looked at me inquisitively.

"Um…he should be back by now, left a few hours ago" Spina said grinning suspiciously.

"Um ok, hey what's with the face Spina? "

"Oh nothing Babe" he said while turning and walking towards the assembly area "don't forget dinner Babe…if you can even call it that" he yelled back.

I decided against my will to get up and make it over to dinner, it wasn't really worth it, but if Gene was showing up around this time, he would be in that area. When I got into the assembly area one of the jeeps had just pulled up and Gene hopped out. He didn't look at anyone but began walking away, I didn't know where he was headed but I began to run after him, ignoring the looks I was getting from Guarnere and the other men. "Gene…Gene, hey wait up" I ran up beside him, my rifle bouncing at my side. "Hey" I said as I finally caught up. I reached for his arm, but he began to walk faster, ignoring me. "Hey Gene, what's the matter?" I asked. He didn't even slow down but kept walking away, leaving me standing in the snow, I couldn't just stand there, I had to talk to him, I would go mad if I couldn't hear his voice at least once, even if he was mad at me, just to hear his voice. "GENE! Come on, talk to me" I said persistently. he stopped and turned to face me, his hands in his pockets, his eyes glued to the ground in front of him. I stepped forward a bit, "Gene, I haven't seen you in days it feels like, where the hell you been?" I moved closer "Ge-"

"Look Heffron, your missin your dinner, don't waste your time with this ok, im fine" he snapped. With that he turned and began walking to god knows where. What the fuck? i realized that was the first time I ever heard the doc mad, what had happened to him? With one last look at Genes disappearing figure I turned and made my way back to the assembly area. Alone. Gene was hurting, what could I do? Could I, a boy from south Philly play the role of the healer for once?

**Took me a while to write this, Im still thinking about where im gonna be taking this, suggestions are welcome and reviews thanks to all.**


	4. Encounter in the Ardennes!

**A/N – Hello again…so this is my chapter 4, EXCITING, though I must say, this chapter turned out MUCH larger than I had initially anticipated. Its also not my favorite chapter, but still was fun to write. Maybe some slashy stuff in the next chapter as well. thank you to everyone who has left me messages and lovely comments… they are much appreciated and highly enjoyable to read. Hope you like this chapter **

**DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! **

Disclaimer: I do not own anything and mean absolutely no disrespect to the real men of East Company. The situations portrayed in this chapter are highly fictionalized.

Heffron to the Rescue.

"Heffron…Heffron….HEFFRON!"

A pair of hands roughly shook me awake, though I kept my eyes shut as if to tell whoever it was to piss off. Where was I? All I know is wherever I was before I had been shook awake was a hell of a lot warmer than where I was now.

"Babe" the voice spoke again, my mind and body still did not respond.

" Babe, are you alright buddy?" the voice now accompanied by hands shaking me, this time more gently with a hint of genuine concern. An odd and rare thing. I decided against better judgment to open my eyes, or at least one of them, and reply.

"What the hell do you want?" I asked the man, who I now recognized as Buck staring down at me with a rather confused and concerned expression.

"Well, you where muttering about something in your sleep, and then you started to have a conversation with yourself about something..."

Buck spoke tentatively, as if there was something he wasn't sure he should tell me or maybe something he felt the need to keep to himself. By now I was awake and wondering what the hell was wrong with me and how awfully embarrassing this situation was, while keeping in mind my present feelings for a certain medic, hoping that they hadn't spilled carelessly out of my mouth while I was away in the land of sleep! "What?" I asked, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Well, you started talking to yourself about- , well, about Gene"

He almost seemed embarrassed to say it," oh shit" I thought. Buck just stared at me, I could tell he wasn't finished, though I wish he was, I had no idea how to reply or what kind of ridiculous excuse to make up, I just sat there, slumped in my foxhole with my mouth gaping. At least it was Buck I was dealing with, someone whose sanity was already going out the goddamn window. Oh, and to think what old Gonorrhea would say, let alone do.

"Well you said something like, 'go eat your dinner Heffron, I don't love you…'" he trailed off. "And then you replied to yourself and said 'but I love you'" Buck stopped all together and looked at me, "then you started yelling Doc Roes name…"

My cheeks flushed pink and I pulled my army blanket close to my face.

That's when I tried to wake you up" he finished. Then as odd as this whole situation was, Buck began laughing, quietly at first, as if trying not to offend me, it was eminent that after saying this whole thing out loud he realized how terribly amusing he found it and he walked away laughing heartily to himself.

"Glad I could amuse you" I whispered a little confused but glad I didn't actually have to explain this mess to him. What I had said in my sleep must have been a reaction to the way Gene and I last parted. I can t believe I said 'I love you'. I don't think I love Gene, I don't know what to call this, well, maybe I do love him, or maybe that's just another misconception known to soldiers on the frontlines. Anyways I had to fix how we parted. I jumped out of my foxhole into the night air. I wondered what time it was. Probably around 4am or so. I began making my way to-, well I don't really know where I was going, sometimes you just wander until you find someone to chat with about the cold for a while, pass the time until another artillery barrage hits us. Secretly I knew who I was hoping to find.

Walking by Muck and Penkalas hole I heard a rumor that was less than appealing, though it shouldn't be. Muck was talking to Penkala in his usual loud voice; I slowed my steps and listened closer.

"Yeah, I heard Spina talking about the how the other day when him and Gene where at the Bastogne field hospital, some local nurse had taken quite a liking to Gene, and him to her. Maybe it would be good for the guy, he never talks with anyone here..." Muck trailed off. Penk just nodded, probably not that interested in the rumors about a non relational medic.

"Yeah well, he talks to Babe" Penk said tiredly trying to prove to Muck he was still listening.

"Yeah whatever…im just thinking Penk, what an honorable shame it would be if Gene, our quiet, solitary, no fun medic found dice in a place like this, and no one else can" Muck and Penk laughed together.

"The last damn thing you should be thinking about in a time and place like this is dice Muck. What in Gods named would sweet Fay Tanner say now?" Penk teased.

Muck just snickered and nudged his friend telling him to shut up with a smoke pressed between his lips.

My ears, a mere 10 seconds before had been so frozen it hurt and now, within those short seconds they had managed to ignite into fire. ' Heffron there is nothing between Gene and you, stop it you are being an idiot, so what if he has a girl, fuckin good for him' I sneered to myself. Without noticing I began walking faster, my rifle swung across my chest, I carefully dodged foxholes, not really having a conscious clue where I was headed, I was just moving, trying to get away, the snow was impending, and my rage became greater, why? I needed to end this, "nothing, Nothing Heffron, stop obsessing like a fucking child" I muttered to myself. I don't know how far I walked but there were suddenly no more foxholes. I must have begun walking outside of our area. Just as quick as my rage had come to me, I found myself no longer above the snow; I had fallen in a foxhole, but what damn foxhole? I was in the middle of the Ardennes; no where close to my damn platoon, I looked every which way in surprise, wondering if I had lost my mind and was still sitting in my own hole, when suddenly a foreign voice made its pestilent presence known.

"Wer ist da? wer da ist, kann ich nicht atmen runter von mir!" the voice was yelling,

"FUCK" I growled, I had landed in a German foxhole which was most likely going to mark the end of my tragic, loveless existence. I scrambled out as the Kraut yelled, struggling beneath the snow and tree branches that had now been piled on top of him. I got out of the foxhole but couldn't seem to get my footing; I threw my rifle out in front of me to get a firmer grip on the icy snow, when I felt a tug on the back of my jacket. Fear coursed through my veins, my heart took a dive into my stomach.

"verdammte amerikanische!" (Fucking American) The German soldier yelled while tugging me backwards. As a soldier, this was the first time I had ever been forced to engage in hand to hand combat, now that this time was facing me, and my stupid life hanging in the balance, I didn't have a clue how to fight anymore. All the things I was taught so quickly in basic training failed to exist in my mind. I began to panic. Especially when I was pulled back into the German soldier's foxhole, which is where I anticipated a rather untimely death. I grabbed onto the Germans jacket and tried to pry his hands of off me in order to escape. Somehow I gained my consciousness back and pushed him hard into the wall of the foxhole, he yelled out in pain as my fist connected with his face, unfortunately to my dismay, his fist came flying back at me and knocked my to the cold snowy floor. The soldier was much larger than I was, he probably had a good 100 pounds on me, his features where dark, his shoulders broad, he had a luger tucked into the side of his jacket and a bayonet hanging on the other side. When I figured all this out I realized I was no match for his superior strength and physic. He had basically won the fight before it started. This is when I began to yell, yelling for anyone in range, I couldn't be that far away from the platoon. Someone would hear me. Anyone, hopefully my yelling was in favor of myself and not the German currently hindering any movement in my body, hopefully I hadn't actually walked into a whole goddamn German platoon!

"HELP, HELP ANYBODY!" I called out before receiving a strong blow to the left side of my jaw; the German straddled me, rendering the use of my legs impossible, I tried in vain to wiggle my body out from beneath his overpowering constraint, but was unsuccessful. A thousand thoughts racing through my mind, as if I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time to feel and to know each and every one of them. Gene, where was Gene, where was anyone? After receiving numerous clouts to the face, my consciousness was beginning to fade, the Germans visage swayed back and forth, as if engaging in a slow dance above me, the pain in my face began to numb. I cried out again. "EUGENE! HELP ME ITS EDWARD!"

"Klappe du dumme amerikanische!" (Shut up you stupid American) the German hissed.

The next thing I saw happen in a blur, was the German soldier reach to his side and pull out his bayonet, the weight of his body lifted slightly as he shifted his weight to one side, I didn't know how far I would get if I tried to move, but I did it anyways. I wiggled my lower half from beneath him and my boots instantly connected with his chest. The soldier went flying back with an angered cry. I began to struggle my way out of the foxhole and onto the soft ethereal snow. I crawled a few feet and yelled again "HEL-"I tried before my face was pushed violently into the snow and I felt cold metal dig deep into the left side of my abdomen. I screamed out in pain, cursing and yelling as the Germans bayonet pulled out of my side sharply and without any remorse. Cool blood streamed down my side like the tears on my face. "I don't want to die" I wept "I DON'T WANT TO DIE" I cried again. A loud piercing shot interrupted my grief stricken cries. I watched as the bayonet the soldier was holding dropped from his hand, blood from his chest trickled down his jacket and mixed with my own. He fell. And I began to cry again. Looking around desperately for whoever had come to my rescue, it was shifty of course, followed by Guarnere, Luz, the two Joes and a few others.

"Shit Babe, what the hell are ya doin getting ya-self all beat up like this?" Guarnere tried to sympathize but it came out more as an accusation. He knelt next to me eying the blood that had now created a small pool around me, George called for Gene. Who arrived moments later.

"I, I was just walking, I didn't see the foxhole until I was in it and-"I sobbed as Guarnere lifted my head and placed it in his lap. My eyes lifted to see Gene appear above me, for some odd reason winters was here as well, he was always up at battalion CP, but he was here now and knelt next to Gene. My sobbing lightened with the presence of Gene so close. But he wasn't helping me. He just sat there, staring blankly my body as if it where a foreign object he didn't exactly know what to do with.

"Doc, DOC" winters ordered with an authoritative tone. Looking at my wound with concerned eyes, he then reached over and began to pry my jacket off. I cringed as winters cold hands where placed on the cut in my side. With the sight of easy companies only medic, frozen like he was. The other men began dressing my wounds then bandaging. Trying to stop the bleeding any way they could. I looked at Gene wondering what was wrong; it was like he was in a trance. Another world. His eyes met mine for a moment.

"Come on doc whata ya doin let's go, my buddies dying here!" Guarnere broke in urgently.

"Eugene" Winters pressed. I reached for Genes hand and took it in my own. He trembled. Wasn't he supposed to me comforting and healing me, what an odd change in roles?

"Gene…" I shakily whispered. His eyes turned to mine again, this time, those deep brown eyes no longer frozen, now held tears. It was like cracking ice. My wound was now under control, the bleeding had stopped and now everyone stared in awe as our quiet and controlled medic began to sob. He simply hung his head with both his hands now in his lap, and cried. His shoulders shaking.

"Jeezus fucking christ" George muttered to himself..

My shaking had ceased though my confusion ensued. In one night I almost died and Gene was absolutely beside himself in tears, about what? Medics weren't supposed to break, they where supposed to stay strong. I let out a groan as the men lifted me gently carrying me back to the platoon. my eyes stayed fixed on the image of Gene, still sitting in the snow weeping as Winters now tried to consol him.

**A/N - Please feel free to correct me on any of the German in this chapter, that way I can change it if nessesary..THANKS a bunch! lots of love.**


	5. The sound of death and a beautiful smile

**A/N – Hello Dear readers! I dually apologize for no updates since NOVEMBER…I feel like crap since I havnt updated in so long but I had some rather large projects to conquer and now that it is Christmas break and life is slow and prosaic again…I SHALL BE UPDATING REGULARLY! …Hopefully…Anyways Enjoy this chapter and your Christmas, this is my Merry Christmas gift to you all. **

**I also wanted to thank **_**anime-obsessed95 **_**for your wonderful comments, I am very happy you enjoy this story; your kindness makes my day! And thanks to all!**

**Disclaimer – I do not own anything, no disrespect was meant in the writing of this story. Currahee!**

Edwards coming of Empathy.

"Excuse me, Soldier…Soldier wake up please, I have something for you to take" A gentle but purposeful shake woke me from my much desired slumber.

"Hmm?... Oh – um ok I guess "I croaked, slowly, painfully hoisting myself up onto my elbows. The young black nurse named Nora held her hand out waving something in front of my hollowed eyes.

"Morphine sir… for the pain"

"Thank you" I replied with a forced smile. The nurse examined my wound quickly which had thankfully healed well since 2 weeks ago when I first got it.

"it looks good sir" she said smiling up at me. Her hands where stained with red, she even wore it on her clothing, drenched in it. "Yes, you may be lucky enough to get out of here in a week or so" she added trying to sound cheerful; you could hear her anxiety trickle through the good news.

I took the morphine and felt my body relax into the shallow cot I had been lying on for what seemed like a year. The aid station had calmed since yesterday, there had been a bombing in Bastogne but it had not hit the aid station to everyone's great relief. Many more casualties had come in, Edward decided that day was one of the worst days he had breathed air on this earth. He had never seen such things before, the blood, the innards hanging outside where they shouldn't be. The crying men, he had seen men cry before, but not like this. This was a cry for Gods mercy. Something that seemed so non-existent. There was definitely no more room for casualties, there was scarcely an empty patch of the floor to be seen. Every cot was in use, every table, every bench; men lay on the ground around you. This was an environment Edward had not been exposed to in his life. Seeing a wounded or dead man on the frontlines was different. Here, you didn't just see death, you could hear it. A sound that pierced the air in the dead night. that moaned in sleepless fright. Edward didn't think there was such a thing. The sound of death. But here he knew it was possible. It lasted forever. Even when it stopped in the hospital it would continue to ring in your ears. Edward wanted out, he wasn't that wounded, he could make it on the frontlines, he knew his wound wasn't that bad from what he saw around him, it was evident. When a man came in on a stretcher with only one leg. Or when that 18 kid stopped breathing next to him. He was alive and thankful for it. And he soon realized that an aid station was no refuge from the frontlines, it was just a new and deeper level of hell, and if you're lucky, you won't get the chance to visit it. Here, the only thing that made the sound of death quieter, were his troubled thoughts of Eugene. The last time he saw him crouched in the snow, weeping, how broken Gene was when he had tried to talk to him. Babe felt a new feeling of genuine empathy towards Gene. Being in this place. He felt he understood to a degree why Gene's usually sustained composure was suddenly unraveling. Living around death was a task not even a medic should have to go through without the ability to break and be human. But somehow they do. In our humanity there comes a time, when the strongest of souls can no longer remain stoic. This was Eugene's time. And it _was_ fair. I know medics are supposed to stay outwardly and inwardly strong. But to me, frankly this is too much to ask of a person who is just as weak and vulnerable as any other soldier in this war. Eugene did his best, but for all there comes a time to emancipate themselves and cry, and be free of the wounds and the hurt you have seen and felt. Knowing this he felt a bit better. Though he still didn't understand his own emotions, mostly towards Gene. But he didn't want to think of it now.

x.x.x

One day, the other nurse, the blond nurse who always wore the baby blue bandana approached Edward to do a check-up. Nora was his usual nurse, she was the one who fixed him up when he had first come in, she did all his check- up's. This nurse was new. The blond nurse approached Edward where he was lying on his cot, she as well, wore blood on her white apron, and it was stained to her fingers as well. She looked awfully haggard and tired. But her eyes spoke something else, something calm and sweet. Her mouth pulled up into a reassuring smile.

"Hello soldier" she said in a calm but slightly hurried voice. He recognized her as the nurse that did most of the running around, the amputations, the surgeries. She wasn't just a volunteer nurse; this was her job, what she did for a living.

"Hello..." I replied a bit sheepishly. She was beautiful with fair skin and rose pink lips; I had not seen something this pretty since Eindhoven. There where so many young beautiful girls dancing around there. I suddenly felt Bill Guarnere's womanizer influences creeping up; I was going to make a stupid 'yes Im hitting on you' sort of comment when something told me that wasn't a good idea. I must have looked pretty bemused because the next thing she said seemed to have lifted a fog I would rather have stayed in.

"My name is Nurse Renee, Nora is tending to another patient at the moment so ill be fixing your dressings today alright soldier". Her name was Renee, this was Renee, I have now put a face to the name. This was the nurse that Muck and Penkala had been talking about, the one that Gene had developed a sort of 'friendship' with. I couldn't believe my own incompetence, how had I not noticed or thought about this before.

"Soldier?..." she asked.

"Yeah, sure that's fine… and you can call me Heffron by the way…" I spoke in a sort of quiet whisper, nodding my head. She cracked another quick smile in acknowledgment of my request and lifted my shirt and began undoing the old dressings and gently applying new ones. I watched as her trained hands worked quickly and effectively, doing exactly what was needed and no more. I studied her face, my eyes involuntarily scanned over her body. She was small but had womanly curves. She was lovely.

"How are you feeling today Private Heffron?" she inquired in a sweet voice.

"I am, - um, alright I guess..." the next thing to fall from my lips was another betrayal of my tongue "Do you know, um – Eugene Roe? Has he been here before?" I couldn't help my curiosity. She stopped dressing my wound but didn't look me in the eyes. She hesitated before replying.

"Yes, I do know Eugene, he comes here for supplies sometimes, he is very nice, why?" her voice grew a slight glint of affection that I found myself smirking at ever so slightly. Her eyes skillfully avoiding mine.

"Oh nothing, he just our company medic that's all, Easy company 101st. He is excellent, but we definitely need the supplies when you can spare them" she looked at me now.

"Of course" she said. "It's always a relief to talk to someone like Gene, someone who understands at least a little. I wish he would come back, I haven't seen him in –"she stopped talking a moment a small hopeful smile played at the corner of her lips. I had been watching her closely with amusement. "Weeks, it's been weeks" she concurred with a sigh. She finished my dressings and cleaned up the old ones. "Alright you're all set Heffron" she looked at me deeply. "I should think you'll be out of here in a week or so alright" she placed a reassuring hand on mine with a smile

"Thank you Renee" I replied. She began to walk away but stopped and turned back.

"Heffron, if you see Eugene, give him this for me" she reached into her pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar, she handed it to me and hurried away quickly before I could reply.

"Alright Renee, I promise" I whispered to myself. I suddenly thought; this woman is beautiful, Gene understands her, and she understands him, more than I could ever hope. I felt a sudden ache, like my heart was trying to let go of something. Eugene. I didn't really want to let go, but I felt like I should. Renee was everything Eugene deserves…

I hoped Eugene came back soon, not for myself, but for her…


End file.
